to buy a caravan against DH's wishes

[Babieseverywhere]

Short Version
My DH thinks I am being very unreasonable but AIBU to want to sell MY things to fund a cheap old caravan which I will use ON MY OWN with our children, so they can have a holiday ?

Long Version
My DH works very hard to support our family, whilst I'm currently a SAHM to our 4 DC's. DH is happy with this arrangement and I will be returning to work in a couple of years time, when our youngest is at school.

Our budget does not cover luxuries like proper holidays and so we usually have a few day trips each year. However last year my MIL invited us to stay in a static caravan for a week with the DC's and we had a ball. Really enjoyed the beach, the children's playgrounds on site and the onsite swimming pool.

I have been trying to convince my DH to buy a tourer caravan to enable us to have cheap self catering holidays but he claims to hate tourer caravans though he has never had a holiday in one. He had previously claimed to hate static caravans too, but really enjoyed last years holiday in one...all I wanted him to do was have a go before making a decision on how he feels about it, but he is stubborn (like me) and he remain unconvinced.

I decided that I will sell anything I have of value which I paid for pre-children...my laptop, my mobile phone, my collection of baby slings (bought with maternity money for first child), mobile cashbacks etc and buy a cheap caravan.

Looking to spend (if I manage to raise this much money) £400 or less on a 4/5/6 berth one with a minimum of two double beds, to pile my small children on. If anyone has one they are getting rid of in the North West PM me.

I don't expect my DH to come away in this caravan, I will go on my own with the children. No, it won't be a relaxing holiday for me but the idea is to give the children a nice time and I'm on my own with all the children every school holiday anyway. I do hope DH might try it one day but I am buying it with no expectations of him ever setting foot in it, as he hates caravans.

DH is still against the idea of me even self funding a caravan and when I mention my caravan fund (barely started), he is very negative and is trying to put me off the idea...telling me I can't put the caravan on our drive...I could put the caravan on our double drive but this would mean I would have to park my car on the road which I am willing to do but he says no.

I aim to buy a couple of food tins every food shop through out the year, to put in the caravan, that is what we did as children. Had a tourer holiday where we ate tinned food for a week with fruit ! Then the money I would of spent on a food shop the week of the holiday, can cover site fees on a basic caravan park...we'll have so much fun.

Caravan insurance will be around a £5 a week/month (can't remember which) and this I will take out of the child benefit for our youngest which we have just started receiving and isn't currently in our budget IYSWIM, as it is a benefit for our children.

My father has already agreed IF i get a caravan he will be willing to tow it nearby for me (within a couple of hours drive). So I don't need to get a tow bar, nor worry about towing the caravan. I'm sure my father will help me set it up for me on site :)

DH's parents live permanently in a caravan travelling around Europe and England and I'm sure I could pitch up next to them for a few nights. They don't see enough of the grandchildren and I'm sure would love for me to do this. Likewise my own parents are retired and have a tourer and would love to spend a few days at the seaside with their grandchildren.

AIBU to buy a caravan ?

Just another thing to think about for the future, if you passed your driving test after 1997 you will not be covered on your licence to tow a caravan, you will need to pass another test. A friend looked into this and was quoted £500 to do this- apparently you have to do a short course then a test.

oh god, just seen that you would probably ahve to do another test, it'll be an expensive white elephant on your drive. Would it be better for you to book a couple of nights in a B&B/cheap hotel with the DCs every summer. You could get 4-5 holidays that way for the price of your caravan which you will use once or twice, having spent a fortune on all the things you need for it, and then sit rusting on your drive

LOL, don't feel mean for the many negative comments...I wouldn't have posted on AIBU unless I wanted other peoples opinions.

That said I am passing to Hully for reflecting, what I feel like perfectly.

Lastly even through you lot are very sensible and agree with DH, I am still going to start a caravan fund, even if it takes longer than I think to save for a reasonable carvan.

Also I'm inpatient at times and I can not promise that I won't be posting another AIBU entitled 'AIBU to hate caravaning in an old, cheap, leaky caravan' if the right deal came up sooner ;) Though I will try and hold out for a nice one, as that would be the grown up thing to do.#

Watch this space...

I agree with the others, all caravans and campervans are money pits. Fine if you have spare cash and/or like to tinker with gadgets and vehicles in your free time.

You could check out the YHA, they have been running regular offers of rooms for a family of 6 for £19 or £29 or similar, over the last couple of years. Which often works out cheaper than camping. And a lot less muddy in bad weather.

Seriously £400 wouldn't even but the extras you need for a caravan plus you need a decent car to tow it as well

Good for you OP. good luck.

We bought out first caravan 16 years ago for £800 and have gradually built up to a new one but you cannot make that decision alone if you are married either its a joint decision.

(Hully would go on to ask you to divorce us all, I bet!)

i'm at a loss.

every time i read the thread title i think 'where will she hide it? she can't put it in the wardrobe and say she's had it for ages'.

i'd like a campervan. go for it. live your dream.

I had a campervan

It was FANTASTIC

We had a campervan. It was FAB. Can you sell your car and replace it with a campervan?

You could put up a tent like this on your own and would have the mantenice costs.

How much does a caravan pitch cost as many campsites chage £30 or so for a family or five per night. Thyat's just for a basic non electric ptich.

YAB a tiny bit U

I would recommend a large tent (one you can stand up in and has a good central or pourch area to eat and cook and hang out in). Tent plus air mats, sleeping bags, camping stove, cool box, table and chairs will be

God, yes, a campervan!!!! Sell the car and get a campervan. Quint is a genius. I want one now

"every time i read the thread title i think 'where will she hide it? she can't put it in the wardrobe and say she's had it for ages'. "

LOL, love this ^.

It would be much easier if I could hide it in our wardrobe.

I'm still ignoring any lovely tents suggestions, sorry Though I loved the last wigwam type link. Tenting is not for me, I grew up with tenting holidays up to 10yo and I hated camping under canvas, loved the holidays mind.

Then we had caravan holidays in cheap, old tourers eating tinned food from 11yo to 15yo, which I loved even when stuck inside playing board games in the rain.

Moving to staying home whilst the rest of the family went away to watch the house whilst hosting parties at 16yo onwards.

We go to a static caravan every Easter for a week (summer is too expensive). Could you and dh save up together and do something like that. Much more space and use of all the clubs etc.

The first time we went (10 years ago) we collected the vouchers from the sun and it was really cheap.

Keep saving Op, and you could get this feat of British engineering.

I am absolutely the biggest fan of caravans but a £400 van in condition fit to put kids in will be hard to find. There's also quite a lot of additional costs that you don't factor in - gas, servicing and insurance are pretty obvious but we have to replace some bit or other every year :(

The essential kit to get going costs about £200 unless you are lucky and get it with the van.

I share you pain with tents. Would your parents be up for lending you their tourer so your DH could try it out?

Otherwise the campervan is a great alternative - but if you need a 6 berth they may be a bit on the small side.

Here are recently sold vans under £400

I haven't found one that isn't riddled with damp yet. You may get a season out of them - two perhaps - but you could well have had a holiday with the money you'll spend

It would be the best fun you've ever had though :)

'DH's parents live permanently in a caravan travelling around Europe and England'

Do you think that might be part of why he hates the idea of a caravan?

You said he's never had a holiday in one. Has he ever had to live in one?

Have you thought about a trailer tent - maybe something like this?

YANBU IMO. You've clearly given it a lot of thought, and if it's not going to affect your DH, then I can't see why he feels he can veto it.

However, I think you may be being a tad unrealistic about the quality of a £400 caravan.

DO IT!!!

WE have been very lucky this summer to be able to use PIL's caravan and have had the best summer for ages :)

It is an old 4 berth one and it has mostly been me and 4 children (dh has joined us for a night here or there) We stick some kids in the awning to make more space.

We pay £20 a month to store it at the most fantastic campsite in a little coastal town. The caravan site pull it out to the pitch when we need it and put it back for a fee (£6 each way) We then pay the normal nightly rate for a touring caravan plus awning and electric.

yes it is a faff with all the bedding etc but sleeping bags are good, and you soon get used to packing/unpacking.

We had a tourer about 10 years ago, we were well excited with it, MIL made new curtains and I bought new bedding ect.......we used it twice and sold it, mainly because of the amount of work involved in setting the bloody thing up, especially with a toddler, we have three DCs now and I would rather cut my left leg off with a rusty knife than organize a caravan trip for the five of us.

Oh and we conceived DC3 in that caravan on a very boring site in Wales full of old people ;)